Abdominal-massage implement.



W. C: J.' GUILFORD. ABDOMINAL MASSAGE M'IPLEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIB, I915- 1,%53,233 Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

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- W. C. 3; GUiLFORD.

ABDOMINAL MASSAGE IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION. FILED MAY 18. l9l6.

Patented Jan. T55, W18.

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WILLIAM C. J. GUILFORD, 0F HARRISON, MAINE.

ABDOMINAL-MASSAGE IMPLEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. f5, rare.

Application filed May 18, 1916. Serial No. 98,353.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM C. J. GUIL- ronn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Harrison, in the county of Cumberland and State ofMaine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Abdom1-rial-Massage Implements, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus formassaging, and has for its primary object the provision of a method andapparatus helpful in carrying the method into practical effect, adaptedto secure a passive massaging of substantially any portion of the humanbody as distinguished from a mere vibration or surface agitation of theparts treated in keeping with the usual practices now in vogue. Inmedical circles it has long been known that many ailments may beovercome, relieved, and portions of the body otherwise benefited, if asuitable way and means could be devised to passively manipulate orexercise the parts desired to be treated. Manual massage has probablyproven the most eflicacious known to science prior to the conceptionsherein to be specifically disclosed, but such manual effort is limitedin its operation to the capacity of physical endurance, nature of thehands and relatively slow capability of action of the masseur.

To secure the best results it is desirable to secure in man instances asubstantial uni-' formity of action, in some cases by relatively slowmanipulation, while in other instances by relatively rapidmanipulations; and it is of material advantage to secure themanipulation of the part being treated in a to and fro fashion, thatinstead of relying altogether on the normal, natural restoration of thepart being treated when moved by a massaging action in one direction, tosupplement said action by a similar action in an opposite directionwhereby the fleshy, muscular or other tissues are passively shifted backand forth regulated as to manner and time to sequence consistent withthe nature of the ailment or exercising deemed expedient.

The desiderata just above outlined are obtainable by a practice of myimproved method especially when carried forward through the medium of myimproved apparatus, as will be more readily understood from the detaileddescription hereinafter given or read in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein a preferredembodiment of the invention, so far as its mechanical aspects areconcerned, is illustrated.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus complete;

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation partly in section of the actuator.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the massagingimplements.

Fig. 4: is a transverse sectional .view; and

Fig. 5 is an inner face view, parts being broken away.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like referenceletters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A and Brepresent companion massaging elements adapted to be intimatelyassociated to the extent that they are capable of manipulating orexercising the same portion of the body desired to be treated, forexample, the abdominal region.

Each of the massage elements comprises a base or supporting member ofcurved contour to present a longitudinally concaved inner faceconforming generally to the contour of the body. This base isrepresented at C and has passing therethrough preferably centrallythereof an opening D through which a pipe coupling section E may beinserted and secured as illustrated,to wit, by means of a threaded stem(Z having a transversely rounded flange or head (2 at its inner end toprovide a smooth inner surface, said stem,threaded interiorly as shown,receiving the correspondingly threaded end d" of a valved nipple (la.The exterior of the stem d is also threaded as at 03* for the receptionof a lock nut 61 having an integral laterally extending flange 6Z6arranged to impinge upon the outer surface of the base member C whenbinding the inner flat face of the rounded head d against the innorsurface of the base. This will effectively lock the parts in positionand furnish an airtight joint, suitable packing being introduced betweenthe rounded head and the surface of the base, or between the lock nut asheet of rubber constitutingan expansible member G, the latter beingsecured marginally thereof over the curved inner face of the base by aclamping frame H, said frame being in thenature of a continuous, fiatspring metal strip hinged at one end asat 7r to the adjacent end of thebasemember Cso asto close upon the base and be forced into bindingrelation with the expansible sheet around the marginal portion of thelatter, or circumferentially of the frame by a latch memberJ at theopposite end of the base member The latch member comprises a rigid metalbar of suitable length approximating a J shape in cross sectio'n,the.longer. arm overlying theouter surface ofthe base and the shorter armbeing adapted to engage over an outwardly offset flange or tongue 76 atthe relatively freeedge. of the. clamping member. The tendency of'tlieclamping. frame is to occupy a normally straight position or planeindicated by the dotted lines in the drawing,

butiits springy nature affording an adequate degree of: flexibility ordeflectionenablinm the latch member J when forced homeby by thumb screwsj passing freely therethrough into complemental threaded metal sockets.j in the. edge of the base member C, to not only lock the frame againstopening movement'on its hinge, but, as an incident tothe pressureexerted to cause the frame to curve into its. binding and seatingrelation to thebase member and expansible sheet in troduced between theinner face of the base member andsaid frame. In this way by avery'simple construction the parts are fastened'in'a sealed relation toconstitute an air tight space between the expansible sheet and the b'asemember permittingthe sheet to expand to the extent desired through theopen interior of the frame. The device also has the characteristic ofaffording quick renewal off the expansible sheet when occasion mayrequire.

The outer faces of the massage elements are grooved near the oppositeends thereof as at K to receive adjustable strap members L, confined inthe grooves by detachable plates M bridging the grooves, the lower strapbeing adapted to play in the grooves to be self-adjustable to thewearerwhereas theupper strap is positively held in ad} justed'positions byspringpressed tongues 7O stlt-uting. a thumb orifinger piece adapted to'be depressed against the pressure of the spring a" to release thetongue from the apertures Z of the strap when the latter is being"adjusted. The straps are connected 7 to a band L attheend of Which aresecured hooks Z adapted to engage the perforated end portions of ;th estraps; to, r-e-tain; the* mas ege lements n Pe -t ia 011" he body,

are nin c nnecti e e hes; rom th n rrle l -hat fe iatefihe Spa e ehind.-t e flex bl he 0. 2 i ph eemzof e es a e ements. a d. nin stima ions i01 veniently flexible and ofrubber or the'lilge leading toanactuatonsuch for example as illustrated in either of my companionapplications, executed of' even date herewith respectively entitled Handoperating massaging apparatus, Serial No. 98350,, and;

ower operated, massagingapparatus, Serial No. 9835l.

The actuator is W here illustrated as com.- prising a base to which issecured an air storagetanlt- Quprojecting upwardly from the base andhaving therewithin a charging pump R,;theupper portion of the tanlgfeeding; through branch pipes S to the corre uo d e unn lien' o milar yppsit ne yl nd r the anc "n n a i 01 tr li was; nd the xha st al es wlocated between the" controlling; valves and the-cylinders. The upperends of the cylin ders are i-n communication with the adjloiin ing'.ends of the fiexible pipe connections 0, thebot toms of, the cylindersbeing supported in' suitable brackets Pistons if are mountedfin' thecylinders and connected to cranks von'thecommonj shaft 4) havinga Wormwheel (receiving-motion from a com-' plemental worm uonfthe maindriveshaft X from a motor Y receiviiigeits energy from any suitableelectric sourceandj havingi a manual switch controlZI i T-hecranks andpistons: devoted to the cylinders are alternately disposedso thatas onepiston is progressinggin its cylinder the other-is receding in its:cylinder so, that alternate pulsations arecreated or expansions' arecreated in the massage elementswith respect to each other," at therapidity desired, dependent upon the speed of the motor, or otherrotation of the power shaft, theresultant, effect being that the twomassage elementsacting from oppo= site directions upon thesame portionof the body beingti'eated will expand and contract back and forth inunison correspondingly passively .manipulating or exercising the samemember or part'under treatment, .the expansion of' one of the massageelements lse moving the tissues, muscles, or the like in one directionas the other member contracts, and said tissues, etc., being moved inthe opposite direction by the subsequent expansion of the contractedmassage element and contraction of the first mentioned expanded element.a a

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the operation of mymethod will be understood without further discussion, but it may beadded that, as shown, it is carried into practical effect by subjectingthe parts to be treated to pulsating pressures, preferably in rapidsuccession, from adjacent but opposite points of application, andalternating the pressure so that by such alternation the fleshy,muscular or other anatomical part will be passively manipulated orexercised in a back and forth direction. The operation of the apparatusassisting in the foregoing end is obtained by initially filling thecylinders and conducting pipes behind the expansible elements, cuttingoff the air supply from the tank to the cylinders so as to confine theair in the latter to constitute what may be termed air pistons orcolumns, and then operating the motor to reciprocate the pistons in thecylinders and coincidentally therewith the columns of air, thedisplacement of which columns of air will correspondingly expand andcontract the expansible elements, and in the alternating relation setforth, at a speed or sequence determined by the speed of rotation of themotor.

lVhile I have herein disclosed one embodiment of the mechanical phase ofmy invention, capable of enabling satisfactory performance of myimproved method, it will be understood by persons skilled in the artthat various changes and embodiments may be resorted to as may be withinthe scope of the hereto appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A massaging device of the character described comprising anexpansible member having a base part, a flexible sheet on said base, thebase having an air passage leading behind the sheet, and means forconfining the sheet to the base comprising an open frame hinged to thebase at one edge and provided with a latch therefor at the opposite edgeof the base, substantially as described,

2. A massaging device of the character described comprising anexpansible member having a curved base part, a flexible sheet on saidbase, the base having an air passage leading behind the sheet, and meansfor confining the sheet to the base comprising an open frame hinged tothe base at one edge and provided with a latch therefor at the oppositeedge of the base, substantially as described.

3. A massaging device of the character described comprising a curvedbase, an expansible sheet thereon, the base having an opening leadingbehind said sheet, and means for retaining the sheet on the baseincluding a flexible frame and means engaging the opposite edges of theframe to deflect the same, to conform to the curvature of the base,substantially as described.

4-. A massaging device of the character describedcomprising a curvedbase, an expansible sheet thereon, the base having an opening leadingbehind said sheet, and means for retaining the sheet on the baseincluding a flexible frame and means engaging the opposite edges of theframe to deflect the same to conform to the curvature of the base, saidlast mentioned means including a hinged connection at one edge of theframe and an adjustable pressure and latch device at the other edgethereof, substantially as described.

5. A massaging device of the character described comprising twoassociated expansible elements adapted to operate from oppositedirections on approximately the same anatomical part, and flexible strapconnections between the massage elements extending thereacross andadapted to be fastened around the body, means for confining one of thestraps to the base members for permitting freedom of movement thereof,and means for fastening the other strap member against movement relativeto the base members, substantially as described.

6. A massaging device of the character described, comprising twoassociated expansible elements adapted to operate from oppositedirections on approximately the same anatomical part, and means forflexibly connecting the massage elements including a pair of connectionsone capable of relatively free movement with reference to the expansibleelements and the other having provision for securing the same againstmovement with reference to the expansible elements, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a massaging apparatus, a pair of pneumatic massage devicesprovided with flexible faces adapted to engage the part to be treatedand substantially rigid backings for said flexible faces, means forsecuring said backings against the part to be treated with the flexiblefaces therebetween, and preventing the backings from yielding when theflexible faces are working, said flexible faces being disposed tocontact opposite portions of said part to be treated so that the rigidbacking of one may oppose the movement of the flexible face of theother, and means for causing relatively alternating expansive andcontractive actions of the flexible faces so that one face will contracttoward its fixed backing when the other face expands without shiftingits fixed backing.

8. The method of massaging which conposite portions of the part to betreated, inat the opposite side thereo'f I troducing between said fixedbackings and In testimoriywhereof I hereur'iftd afiix my the part to betreated pulsating passive p1 essignature in the presence of twowitnesses;-

sists in applying fixed backings against 0pfrona one-side is resi'ste'dby -thefixedbakin sure; and alternating said pressure on the WILLIAM G."J; GUILFORD."

opposite sides of said part to be treated'so Witnesses: that themovement of the tissue of the part CHARLES A. LEA ITT, to be treatedunder the pulsating pressure JOHN WV." SHIELDS} co 'p ies of thi spatent array be obtained fer fire gents eacli byzaddressiiig; the flofiis s ib l rer*eicfdtentfl washin wn, n; c.-

